This archive report was first published on 5 December 2019.
On December 5, 2017, officials from the Kenya Pharmacy and Poisons Board launched a crackdown on illegal pharmaceutical outlets in Nairobi, resulting in the arrest of over 40 individuals operating unlicensed chemists.
According to the agency, a total of 62 outlets were found to be operating without valid licenses in the capital and were subsequently shut down.
Interestingly, a number of those whose licenses were revoked were found to be selling government drugs, raising questions as to how they obtained these supplies.
Officers from the agency carried out the crackdown in various estates around Nairobi, including Eastleigh, which was found to be harboring a majority of the illegal chemists.
Dr. Julius Kaluai, the Nairobi region head of the board, stated that the affected facilities did not meet required standards and were manned by individuals who lacked the requisite knowledge to handle and dispense drugs.
As a result of the crackdown, 43 individuals linked to the illegal chemists were apprehended, and their names have been handed over to the police for further action.
It is worth noting that this is not the first time the board has taken action against rogue pharmacists; last year, over 3,000 were arrested and 700 illegal drug outlets were shut down in an operation mounted across the 47 counties.
